Common Crane

Overview
Common Crane: Large wading bird, gray overall with a black face, chin, throat and neck; shows a patch of bare red skin on crown. Broad white stripe extends from behind eye down back of neck. Black flight feathers and short tail are visible in flight. Bill is dull yellow and legs and feet are black.

Range and Habitat
Common Crane: This species breeds in northern parts of Europe and western Asia. It is a long distance migrant wintering in Africa and southern Europe. In North America it appears as an accidental vagrant to central Alaska, western Canada, the Great Plains, and the Midwest. It prefers forest clearings, bogs, wetlands, fields and meadows with ponds. In migration stays on open arable land.

The Common Crane is a medium-sized bird that has also been called the Eurasian Crane. Breeding grounds for the species are found in the wetlands of northern Europe and Asia, and they mostly nest in Russia and Scandinavia. In the 17th century, the Common Crane became extinct in Great Britain, but a small population is now increasing in the Norfolk Broads. They are long-distance migrants, traveling to Africa, southern Europe and southern Asia in winter months. This species commonly eats leaves, roots, berries, insects, and small birds and mammals. The conservation rating of the Common Crane is currently Least Concern.

INTERESTING FACTS
In Great Britain it became extinct in the 17th century, but a tiny population now breeds again in the Norfolk Broads and is slowly increasing. It has a dancing display, leaping with wings uplifted. The Common Crane is also known as the Eurasian Crane, A group of cranes has many collective nouns, including a "construction", "dance", "sedge", "siege", and "swoop" of cranes.